Whitney Houston's Cause of Death Could be Known After Autopsy Today

When a celebrity dies, skeletons can and do come out of the closet; but, despite whatever sort of sordid past that individual might have had, jokes at the deceased individual's expense are quite taboo. That is why a Whitney Houston greeting card has been pulled from the shelves at target for its offensive nature. Photo: Reuters

Whitney Houston's cause of death could be known after an autopsy is performed by the Los Angeles County coroner on Sunday. Houston died on Saturday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel but how she died was not immediately known.

Authorities have said no obvious signs of foul play was seen and reports are that prescription pills were found in Houston's hotel room. Houston was reportedly found face down in the bathtub at the hotel before Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party. She was to attend the party, which was being held downstairs in the same hotel she died in.

Houston was found unconscious in her room by a member of her entourage and authorities were alerted. They tried to resuscitate the singer but were not successful, police said.

Houston's body was found around 3:30 p.m. and pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. Sources have told the media that for years Houston had prescriptions for antidepression and antianxiety medications. Almost four hours after her death, Whitney Houston's body was still at the scene, as detectives tried to figure out how she died. Her body was removed from the scene around midnight and her daughter wasn't allowed to see the body, according to reports.

Houston's body was taken to the county morgue for an autopsy today, reported E! Online. While Davis' gala went on, police and officials from the coroner's office were on the fourth floor where Houston was staying, searching for any clues that could provide a cause of death.

No word on the cause of Whitney Houston's death has been released as yet and it could further be delayed for weeks pending toxicology tests, according to E! There is also no word yet if the autopsy has already begun.

There are no word yet on funeral arrangements but there will be a special music tribute at the 2012 Grammy Awards tonight for Houston. Jennifer Hudson was added to the lineup and will perform the tribute to Houston, a six-time Grammy winner.

E! reported that Houston's childhood church, the New Hope Baptist Church in her native Newark, N.J., held a special prayer service today for her and offered support to her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and mother, Cissy.